Window sash fastener



June 2,] 1964 WILKINSON WINDOW SASH FASTENER Filed May 14, 1962 JWILIQM ifiw zgggg United States Patent 3,135,542 WINDOW SASH FASTEITJER Erie Wilkinson, Woodbridge, Conn, assignor to The H. B. Ives (Iompany, New Haven, Conn. Filed May 14, 1952, Ser. No. 194,365 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-404) This invention relates to a window sash lock and relates more particularly to a combination spring and washer incorporated within such a lock. Locks of this type usually include a stationary keeper element for fixed connection to a window sash and a latch element fixed to a complementary window sash and having a movable latching part for cooperation with the keeper.

The combined spring and washer assist in mamtammg the parts of the last-mentioned latch element in assembled relation and also serve to resist movement of the latching part to the substantially center position thereof from either side of this position. The aforementioned center position is the position midway between the latched and unlatched positions of the latching part, and 1t will be understood from the foregoing that the combined spring and washer tends to inhibit dislocation of the movable latching part from either its latched position or the unlatched position thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide an nnproved window sash lock of simplified construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock such as characterized above having fewer parts than a conventional sash lock.

Still another object is to provide in such a lock a unique combined spring and washer.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment of the lock shown in the drawings by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a window sash lock embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the combined spring and Washer incorporated in the lock.

In the drawing there is shown a latch element indicated generally at for cooperation with the usual latch element (not shown) consisting of a keeper for fixed connection to a window sash. The latch element 10 is provided with a base member 11 having apertured ears for the reception of suitable fasteners for securement of the latch element 10 to a complementary window sash.

The base member 11, which is upwardly dished as shown to advantage in FIG. 3, is provided with a vertical central bore 12 enlarged by a semi-annular recess as at 13 As best shown in FIG. 4, the last-named member is provided interiorly with two pairs of Walls 13, the walls of each pair being in opposing relation to one another, one pair being disposed adjacent each car 15. The base member is somewhat elongated and the walls 13 are arranged longitudinally of the base member.

The movable latching part of the element It) is indicated generally at 16 and is provided with the usual finger tab 17 and the usual lip portion 18 for engagement with the keeper provided by the other aforementioned latch element. The latching part 16, which is supported for swinging movement on a vertical axis on the base member, has an integrally formed cylindrical stub shaft 19 depending therefrom and a bore 20 extends longi tudinally through this stub shaft and through the top of the latching part 16 to receive a rivet 21.

3,135,542 Patented June 2, 19%4:

The shaft 19 extends downwardly through the opening 12 in the base member and is swingable in this opening on swinging movement of the latching part 16 effected through manipulation of the part 17 thereof. The shaft 19 has a laterally projecting pin 22 fixed thereto and lying Within the aforementioned semi-annular recess l3 formed in the base member, the pin providing an abutment engageable with the ends of the aforementioned recess 13 to limit swinging movement of the latching part, the construction and arrangement being such that the last-mentioned part may be rotated through an arc of substantially 180 degrees in either direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base member 11 is provided with a depending boss 23, and it is through the center of this boss that the aforementioned opening 12 in the base member is formed. Below this boss the shaft is provided with an oblong spring tensioner 24 fixed thereto and having clearance with the boss 23. This spring tensioner may be formed as an integral part of the shaft 19 and may be constructed by forming two oppositely facing flats 25 on the lower portion of the shaft.

The combined spring and washer which holds in properly assembled relation the base member 11, the latching part 16 and the rivet 21 is indicated generally at 26. The element 26 has a substantially flat oblong washer portion 27 and longitudinally arranged twin spring parts 28 in laterally spaced-apart and opposing relation to one another. The twin spring parts 28 lie in planes normal to the plane of the washer portion 27 and the parts 28 overlie the respective side margins of the oblong portion 27. The twin spring parts 28 are formed with corresponding ones of their ends fixed to the washer portion as at 29, the other ends of the spring parts 28 being formed so as to be free of restraint. The parts 28 rather closely overlie the washer portion 27 so that lateral flexing movement of the parts 28 is guided by the washer portion 27 as will appear more fully hereinafter. The portion 27 of the element is provided with a central aperture 30 to receive the lower end of the rivet 21.

The combined spring and washer 26 is assembled with the base member 11 with the washer portion 27 of the element lowermost as shown in FIG. 3. The spring tensioner 24 extends between the spring parts 28, as shown in FIG. 2, the tensioner 24 being of a height approximating the height of the spring parts 23. When the tensioner 24 is in the position shown in thelast-mentioned view, the tensioner is rather closely confined by the spring parts. The combined spring and washer is assembled with the base member so that the spring parts 23 have their ends opposing and closely overlying the respective walls 13 formed on the base member. The parts 23 may rather closely underlie the boss 23 of the base member as shown in FIG. 3. The rivet 21 is headed directly below the washer portion 27 to hold the assembly together.

The combined spring and washer 26 may be formed conveniently as follows: A pair of generally L-shaped slits may be formed in a blank of spring material of oblong shape, the slits being laterally spaced apart and in opposing relation to one another and defining two leaf springs having corresponding ones of their ends afiixed to the central portion of the blank and having their other ends free of restraint. The springs may then be rotated to lie in planes normal to the blank with the springs overlying the blank. The portions of the blank connecting the fixed ends of the spring are preferably formed on a radius rather than at a -degree angle to resist breakage of the springs from the blank, this radius being shown in FIG. 5 in the finished combined spring and washer at 32. The hole in the blank to receive the rivet 21 in the finished product may be formed conveniently before turning up the leaf springs.

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The operation of the window sash loch will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure. When the latching part 16 of the lock is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the spring tensioner 24 extends lengthwise of the spring parts 28 as shown in FIG. 2. When and as movement of the part 16 from the full-line position of FIG. 1 to the brokenline position of this view in initiated, the end portions of the spring tensioner 24 engage the respective spring parts 23 and commence tensioning these parts. This spring tension, of course, is exerted through the tensioner 24 to the shaft 19 to resist turning movement of the latching part, and the spring tension increases as the tensioner 24 with the latching part 16 moves by manipulation of the tab 17 to the center position thereof shown in FIG. 4. It will be understood that as this occurs the ends of the spring parts 28 are held against lateral dislocation by the Walls 13 of the base member, and the free end portions of the spring part 23 tend to slide along the corresponding walls to a very limited extent as the spring parts are flexed to the position shown in the last-mentioned view. During this flexing the central portions of the spring are bowed outwardly.

As the latching part 16 passes the center position thereof on its travel to the broken-line position of FIG. 1, the spring parts 28 acting through the tensioner 24 influence the latching part 16 in a manner to assist this movement. Hence the spring parts 23 tend to inhibit dislocation of the latching part 16 from the latched broken-line position of FIG. 1 as well as dislocation of the latching part from the unlatched full-line position of this view. The pin 22 on the shaft 19 limits rotation of the latching part 16 as aforesaid. The action of the spring tensioner on the spring parts when the latching part 16 is returned from the broken-line position to the full-line position thereof is the same as that previously described with reference to movement of the latching part from the unlatched position to the latched position. It will be noted that the spring parts in their flexing movement are guided by the washer portion 27 of the assembly.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the sash lock is assembled from only four separate pieces, that is, the latching part 16, the base member 11, the rivet 21 and 4 the combined spring and washer 26. Heretofore sash locks have been constructed employing two separate springs and a separate washer. The reduction of parts in a sash lock in accordance with the invention is highly advantageous.

The sash lock of the invention is of simplified construction. It is easy and economical to produce. Furthermore, it is very efficient and reliable in operation.

While only one form of the sash lock has been illustrated in the drawing and described above, it will be apparent to those versed in the art that the sash lock may take other forms and is susceptible of various changes in details without departing from the principles of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a sash lock of the type having a base member, a latching member and pin means for retaining said members in relatively rotatable condition, said latching member being formed with a spring tensioncr thereon for cooperation with spring means, the improvement comprising an integrally formed spring and Washer assembly fabricated from a single sheet of spring-metal material, said assembly defining a washer portion having an aperture for receiving the pin means and a pair of leaf springs each having a free end and laterally spaced from one another, said springs being movable relatively to said washer portion to cooperate with said tensioner to resist relative rotation of said members, said assembly forming a boxlike structure wherein the Washer portion is substantially flat and said leaf springs are substantially coextensive and lie in planes generally normal to the plane of said washer portion, said washer portion having a tongue operative to integrally connect each leaf spring thereto, and said tongue being formed with crimps effective to space each leaf spring inwardly relative to the corresponding side edge of the Washer portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,850 Petrie Jan. '26, 1909 1,535,226 Jackson Apr. 28, 1925 2,600,520 Spase June 17, 1952 

